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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Palinor tell Dolca she can do?

2. What does the shepherd tell the men at the snow house?

3. How does Amara scare away the group?

4. What does Beneditx say can be seen in the eyes of a newborn?

5. From where is Palinor?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the nuns decide to do with Amara first and how do they do it?

2. Who is waiting for Severo when he returns home?

3. How does Sor Blancha realize Amara misses Josefa and what happens when she does?

4. What does Palinor tell Beneditx about his view of the truth?

5. What does Josefa do to help Amara's recovery?

6. What does Severo think about as he falls asleep the first night of visiting Palinor and Beneditx?

7. When a man comes up to Amara and Josefa as they cut nettles what does he tell them?

8. What does Severo suggest to Beneditx?

9. What is the creature, the nervados, tracked doing when they see it and what happens in the first few minutes?

10. What happened to Amara that put her into her present condition when brought back to the Abbey?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Palinor commits what we would be considered horrible sexual sin in the eyes of Grandinsula's religious people. He has sex with a boy and a girl, and then watches them have sex with each other. Dolca and Joffre don't protest, however, and they seem to enjoy the learning experience. In this case, "sin" is presented as something that can be enjoyable and uplifting rather than something destructive and hurtful.

1. Do you think the definition of a "sin" which is to say something morally wrong differs from culture to culture? Why or why not?

2. It has been debated through the ages whether everyone sees immorality as representing the same behaviors. Why do you think Palinor's definition of morality is different from Beneditx's?

3. In a culture where an institution such as the church or the government defines what are right and wrong acts who benefits from the power that control people's lives with the threat of "sin" or the definition of morality? What would be the advantage to an institution to convince people that institution was the only authority that could define right and wrong?

Essay Topic 2

Severo gets further proof of his belief that all things are God-ordained, when he encounters Josefa at Sant Clara. What one man sees as evidence of God's work, however, may look like a series of coincidences to another.

1. Do you think the fact of Josefa being at the convent is farther proof that there are no coincidences or accidents? Why or why not?

2. What do you think is meant by the second statement above? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

3. Discuss a situation you or someone you know have experienced that would support or disavow Severo's belief in all things being God-ordained.

Essay Topic 3

While Amara has survived, her savage upbringing and subsequent gang rape have subjected her to horrible atrocities. God is clearly not present in, or protecting, her life.

1. What type of agenda do you think the author has by showing a girl like Amara who has suffered so much?

2. Do you think a child in real life could experience what Amara has and be as well as she has become? Why or why not?

3. Why do you think the shepherds who gang raped Amara were not arrested for the crime?

(see the answer keys)

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